A Lesson on Flowers
by valanterry
Summary: It had been two months after Noi left Takenaga, telling him to forget about her. How could he when all he think of was being with her? Was it wrong for him to continue hoping? Or will someone change his mind?
1. Chapter 1: The Nakahara Household

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

--

Author's Note:

A change from the usual Kyohei-Sunako pairing. Hope you like it! Sorry to all Noi fans. :D

--

**CHAPTER 1: THE NAKAHARA HOUSEHOLD**

_The master of the Oda household stared at the younger Oda, his son, who had refused to look his father in the eye._

"_Get out of my sight."_

_The younger Oda bowed and was about to move away until someone grabbed the sleeve of his yukata._

"_If you don't want him. Return him to the Nakahara household. He is part of our family."_

_The older Oda stared at the beautiful woman who dared speak up to him. Could it be her? No it couldn't be… she couldn't be the scary little person who couldn't do ikebana properly. But then again, this beautiful woman was wearing the same kimono as the scary girl. He was amazed at her transformation… turning from a scary girl into a woman whose beauty surpassed those of the other women in the room._

_The younger Oda stared too at the young woman who refused to let go of his sleeve. "Sunako-chan…"_

_The master's wife suddenly spoke up. "Let our son go. He has already proven that he will take over his responsibilities. Let us allow him to at least enjoy his freedom."_

---

It had been two months since Noi left Tokyo.

Takenaga sighed and closed his eyes. Had it really been that long? He didn't want to break up with Noi but it was she who decided that it was for the best. Her decision had taken him aback, since he was always used to her telling him how much she wanted to be with him.

"_Takenaga-kun, I don't want to be selfish. I don't know if I'll ever return to Tokyo so it will be unfair for you to wait for me," Tears were already falling down her cheeks but Noi continued to speak. "Besides, after high school you're going to return to the Oda household. I doubt your family will allow you to be with a middleclass girl like me."_

"Noi-chi…" Takenaga said to no one in particular. He would never forget her. He refused to. Just then, someone knocked on the door. Takenaga sat up from his bed to greet the person who just came in. It was one of his housemates, and also the landlady's niece, Sunako Nakahara.

"I brought you some dinner…" Sunako placed the tray on the side table. When she reached the door, she paused for a bit and said in a small voice, "It's been two weeks…the others are wondering when you'll decide to leave your room and join us outside."

Had it really been that long? He didn't notice he'd been in his room for two weeks. He gave Sunako a weak smile. "I haven't been feeling well. I will try to join you for dinner tomorrow, thank you."

Sunako bowed and left the room, smiling to herself. _Ah, if only such an environment existed outside Takenaga's room, she'd be in heaven._ She was referring to the gloom that hung around inside Takenaga's room. She'd always been a peculiar girl, preferring the macabre to things normal girls appreciated like flowers, shopping and make-up. That was one of the reasons why she volunteered to bring Takenaga's tray to his room, despite the protests of their other housemates. When she arrived at the dining room, she was greeted by the three other boys who lived in her aunt's mansion.

"Sunako-chan, was Takenaga feeling a little better?" Yuki asked her worriedly.

She sighed happily and sat on her usual seat by the table. "Yes. I think he looked rather well."

Her response gained her a hit on the head from Kyohei. "Idiot! You're enjoying this aren't you? You honestly have no heart."

"Poor Takenaga…still not over his broken heart…" Ranmaru sighed, raising his hands to the ceiling. "If only Noi had not left him…then he would be with us, enjoying this banquet that has been served by dear Sunako-chan!"

"He's old enough to take care of himself, Ranmaru. He'll get over it soon enough. Noi is just a girl." Kyohei replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

Ranmaru looked at Kyohei as though he felt completely offended. "And that is the reason why you do not have a girlfriend!" He pointed an accusing finger at Kyohei and then at Sunako. "You have ruined your chances with Sunako-chan! See? See her bleeding heart watching you as you ignore her feelings?!"

"I don't have feelings for that radiant creature." Sunako suddenly said.

"Denial, denial, denial…every girl's defense mechanism against broken heartedness!" Ranmaru cried. "This is all your fault, Kyohei!"

"Whatever. I'll never have feelings for a creepy chick."

"And neither will I for a creature of the light!"

"When will you two stop fighting?!" Yuki exclaimed. "Our friend Takenaga is in pain and he doesn't even want to talk to us about it. All he has done is lock himself up in his room. We should at least try to cheer him up."

Sunako rubbed her chin. _He doesn't want to talk to us? Hmmm…_

---

It was past dinnertime when Takenaga finally had the guts to leave his room. The truth was, he had no desire to leave his room nor go to school anymore. All he wanted was to bring Noi back, to brush away the silky strands of her brown hair from her face, to hold her close, to kiss her lips. He sighed. He hated moments like this, when he wished he could have done more to make her happy. He'd always been too serious in their relationship, rarely smiling and he was regretting never being able to really laugh with her. He always made Noi cry, although unintentionally, her always telling him she felt she was never good enough for him. But she was, and he doubted he could ever love anyone the same way.

The night wind was getting colder and he could feel a shiver creep up his spine. He walked towards the balcony, leaning against it to watch the stars. Was she watching the same thing? Did she still think about him? "Noi-chi…"

Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind him. He turned around and the sight in front of him turned his entire body white. It took a few seconds for him to realize that it was just Sunako who appeared out of the darkness.

"S…sunako-chan…why are you still up at this time of night?"

She didn't say anything, but walked to where he was. "I couldn't sleep. I wanted to eat chocolate but there wasn't any left. So I decided to just make some pastries," she handed him a few biscuits. "You can have some if you like. I tend to make too many so that there would be left over's if any one else wanted them."

He smiled. "That's awfully nice of you, Sunako-chan. But if it's okay, I'd like to be alone." He patted her hand as he took her offered biscuits.

Sunako suddenly remembered Yuki's words. _He doesn't even want to talk to us about it. All he has done is lock himself up in his room._ "You know, um…" Sunako began, trying to find a better way to say what she wanted to say. "If you're looking for someone to talk to, you can always borrow Hiroshi-kun." She bowed and was about to leave when Takenaga called out to her.

"Thank you, Sunako-chan. Maybe that won't be such a bad idea."

---

"WHAT?! TAKENAGA IS FAILING HIS EXAMS?!" The three boys chorused. It all happened when the principal of Mori High sent a letter to the Landlady. Lady Nakahara had then decided to give a surprise visit, much to the dismay of the three boys.

Sunako, who was busy preparing lunch didn't look surprised. "He hasn't come to school in two weeks. What do you expect?"

Yuki clutched the letter that the landlady handed out to them. "Takenaga has to come out! How long does he intend to lock himself up in his room?!"

"The musings of a broken heart…" Ranmaru said dramatically.

"Idiot. He just can't get over the fact that Noi dumped him." Kyohei groaned.

The Landlady sighed. "Kyohei, you are so naive when it comes to love. I completely understand Takenaga breaking down. That girl was very special to him, but…" She looked at the three boys and at Sunako who, by that time, had finished setting the table. "As Takenaga's friends, it's your job to make sure he gets over his broken heart, no matter what it takes."

"What do you mean?" All four chorused.

The Landlady rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you don't know what will happen when Takenaga refuses to go back to his old self." She turned her back on them and grabbed her purse. "If word goes out that Takenaga is failing his grades, wouldn't his family think the Nakahara household isn't a good environment for him again? And seeing as they all know what you look like, it would be difficult to bring Takenaga back, should his family decide to have him return to the Oda family."

---

The beautiful girl clad in a navy blue kimono bowed to the master of the household. "I see, so you want me to bring the young master back."

The master nodded. "I do not want him to return immediately, but I need to see just what kind of lifestyle he is living in that household. It is not that I do not trust my son, nor the landlady, but I want to make sure that he will keep his promise and live up to the Oda name. He has many responsibilities to fulfill and I hope he keeps his end of the bargain. And if you feel that something is not going well, I want you to return home, with my son."

"Understood, Master Oda."

"I knew I could count on you, Michiru. Once Takenaga sees you again, I know that he will be in for a big surprise."

- END OF CHAPTER ONE -


	2. Chapter 2: The Pride of Takenaga

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

--

Author's Note:

Here's chapter two! I plan to update at least a week because this is just a trial story. Nonetheless, I hope you guys like it!

--

**CHAPTER 2: THE PRIDE OF TAKENAGA**

He could hear them banging on his door but he refused to come out. He knew he had to eventually go to school but going there didn't seem at all appealing to him anymore. Was it because he knew she wouldn't be there? He wouldn't hear her voice calling out to him. He wouldn't feel her wrap her arm around him or hold him close. All he could hear now was–

"Open the door, Takenaga!" The three boys chorused.

He sighed and finally stood up from his bed to open his locked door. He unlocked the door and the faces of Ranmaru, Kyohei and Yuki popped in.

"Takenaga stinks." Came Ranmaru's voice.

"He would if he hasn't left his room in a while!" Kyohei laughed.

"If he's afraid of being pestered by us, he could at least take a shower at night while no one is there to bug him." Yuki explained.

Takenaga groaned. "You guys could at least say it to my face." He opened the door wider in annoyance and all three tumbled inside. He then realized that Sunako was outside as well, carrying several books. When all three were able to stand up, Takenaga finally spoke up. "What do you guys want?"

"What is wrong with you?!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Yeah, you've been in here for a month already! You're ruining your life for a girl!" Kyohei rolled his eyes and pointed an accusing finger at Takenaga.

Ranmaru sighed and put an arm around Takenaga. "Dear Takenaga, why sulk over a single girl when there are so many out there all craving your affection?" He smiled mischievously, and whispered in Takenaga's ear, "If you're interested, I could set you up with some of the ladies I know…"

Takenaga's reply was a smack on Ranmaru's head with his fist.

"Ow! Well it's your own damn fault for being so serious all the time!" Ranmaru winced at the blow he just received.

"Idiots! This is one of the reasons why I refuse to leave my room!" Takenaga cried out.

"You shouldn't be ruining your life because of a broken heart." A voice from behind the four said. Everyone turned and saw Sunako enter the room, placing the books she was carrying on the table.

"Sunako-chan…" Takenaga began.

"I know you loved her very much but this isn't worth wasting your life on," She sighed. "It would be better to just let yourself be swallowed in the darkness–"

This remark received a whack on the head from Kyohei. "You're not helping."

Sunako winced then rubbed her head. "Anyway, I just want that creature of the light to know that if he doesn't go to school, his family might try to take him away again." She turned to Takenaga and sighed. "If that happens, we won't be able to save you anymore."

All three fell silent. Takenaga's eyes widened at Sunako's remark. She suddenly blushed as all eyes turned to her.

"As if I care. It's just that he's part of our family. Our saving him before will go to waste if he continues like this." Without another word she rushed out of the room.

"You know what? She actually made sense…" Ranmaru observed.

---

The Nakahara household.

_Did Oda-san really prefer to stay in such a place?_ The young woman wondered. Oda-san was always difficult to understand, even when they were little children. She wasn't prepared to see him yet, after all this time, but her master relied on her. Did the master really think she still had the power to convince Oda-san? She could not let the master down. So even if it meant following him around and living with him again, she was prepared to do it.

The master had already spoken to Lady Nakahara about her staying at the mansion. At first, she protested that Oda-san had the right to know she was coming, but the master preferred that she just show up and surprise him. Lady Nakahara did not object to this, and even answered, "This will certainly be an interesting idea." Clearly, they both agreed that Oda-san be kept in the dark about it, for now.

Tomorrow she would be arriving in Tokyo. Did he still look the same? Master Oda had said that his son had changed since he stayed at the Nakahara household. This certainly was something she looked forward to seeing.

What would be his reaction once he saw her again? That, too, was something she looked forward to.

---

Sunako was busy watching one of her favorite horror flicks when someone knocked on her door. She sighed, wondering who in the world could be bothering her at such late an hour. It definitely couldn't be Yuki, he'd never have the guts to step foot in her sanctuary. It might be Ranmaru, but then again he was always out on dates even at this hour. She cringed. Could it be the most radiant being Kyohei? She stood up from her place, prepared to battle him when the door suddenly opened. "Gyaahh!!!" She darted her fist towards the door to hit the radiant creature who dared enter her safe dark haven.

The figure winced in pain and fell to his knees. It took a while but Sunako suddenly realized that it wasn't Kyohei who invaded her privacy but someone else. "S…sorry… I thought you were the radiant one." Sunako never addressed them by name, but often referred to Kyohei as a "radiant" being.

"I…should say sorry, too. I barged in unannounced. It's just that I didn't think you could hear me knocking since the volume of your television was too loud." Takenaga winced, rubbing his sore tummy where Sunako "accidentally" hit him.

Takenaga and Kyohei were the only ones who could enter her room and not be grossed out, however this was the first time Takenaga decided to visit for no apparent reason. "What do you want?" she asked him curiously. It was a good thing he wasn't as bright as Kyohei, or else she would have suffered a severe nosebleed already.

"I…er…took a bath…" Takenaga began.

Sunako looked at him puzzled. "Uh, ok." She looked at him hesitantly, realizing that he was looking a bit uneasy. She looked at the back of her room and saw her best friend leaning against the wall. Could it be that…?

"Thank you for the books."

"Oh, those. Your classmates were really worried that you haven't been attending classes so they gave me all the books you needed to catch up with their lessons." She saw him eyeing Hiroshi. "Uh, if you want someone to talk to, you can always borrow Hiroshi. He's a very good listener."

Takenaga smiled faintly then rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn't believe he actually thought talking to Sunako's doll would make him feel better. He gave Sunako a small pat on the head. "It's alright, Sunako-chan. It was foolish of me to think that…" He gave another small smile and moved to the door. "I don't want to take Hiroshi away from you."

"Um…it's okay. I don't mind." She looked at him hesitantly and then walked towards where her doll was standing. She took Hiroshi and walked back to Takenaga. "Be sure to take good care of him."

Takenaga sighed. "You don't have to lend Hiroshi to me. I can visit him in your room you know."

She shook her head. "No, it's okay. I know it'll be easier for you to talk to him if I'm not around. Don't worry. I talk to Hiroshi-kun whenever I'm feeling depressed, too. You should do the same. You can't face your problems on your own you know."

His eyes widened. "Thank you, Sunako-chan. I'll be sure to take good care of him then."

---

The following day, a visitor arrived at the Nakahara household. It was Sunako who answered the door. "Can I help you?"

The visitor bowed. "Yes. Is this the Nakahara mansion? I am looking for Takenaga Oda." The newcomer was a woman, about Sunako's age. She was wearing a royal blue colored kimono with gold embroidery. She was a beautiful girl, Sunako observed. Despite wearing glasses with thin-frames, her beautiful features were still visible and she gave off a very refined aura.

Sunako opened the door wider. "Please come in."

When they reached the living room, Ranmaru, Kyohei and Yuki were already inside. Ranmaru's eyes widened at the sudden entrance of the visitor. Even Yuki and Kyohei stared at the beautiful guest.

"Sunako-chan! Introduce me to your friend!" Ranmaru floated to Sunako's side excitedly, eyeing the beauty beside her.

Sunako groaned and hit Ranmaru on the head. "Don't mind him. He's always like that with beautiful girls."

The newcomer blushed. "Beautiful girls? Am I one?"

"Please sit down." Sunako offered.

"And tell us your name!" Ranmaru added eagerly.

The beautiful girl bowed. "I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. My name is–" Before she could continue, someone interrupted her.

"Michiru…?"

The girl turned and saw Takenaga whose jaw had dropped once he saw her. The three boys and Sunako shifted their attention to Takenaga who finally left his room.

"Oda-san!" She walked towards Takenaga, much to the surprise of the others in the room, and bowed.

Takenaga turned away. "What are you doing here?"

"OOhh….ex-lover of yours, Takenaga? I didn't know you had one!" Ranmaru teased.

Kyohei grinned. "See? Noi's not the only girl around…"

"Shut up, Kyohei!" Takenaga blurted out.

"Oda-san!" the girl called Michiru eyed him, a bit surprised at his reaction.

Takenaga fell silent and clenched his fist. "What are you doing here, Michiru?"

"Is it not obvious, Oda-san? I came to live with you."

His eyes widened at her words. "Why did you come…?"

"Er…if you don't mind, may I know how you met Takenaga? I haven't seen you around our school…" Yuki said a bit hesitantly.

"She's no one." Takenaga replied simply.

Despite the surprised reaction from all four to Takenaga's sudden reply, Michiru didn't seem at all affected. "I was his fiancée…"

- END OF CHAPTER TWO -


	3. Chapter 3: The Oda Heir

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

--

Author's Note:

Here's chapter three! It's so hard to make Oda in character now that I've taken Noi away. But I hope he still is in this story.

--

**CHAPTER 3: THE ODA HEIR**

Takenaga's four housemates stared at both Takenaga and his beautiful visitor. "Fiancée?!" they chorused.

Ranmaru smiled at Takenaga teasingly. "You have been keeping secrets from us, Takenaga. What would Noi-chan say once she finds out that she really didn't have a chance with you?"

Takenaga shot a warning look at Ranmaru but before he was able to say anything, Michiru spoke up. "You've got it all wrong. I was Oda-san's fiancée before but not anymore."

"How'd that happen? Did you break it off because Takenaga was too stiff?" Kyohei laughed. "He was like that with Noi. He couldn't even tell her how he felt."

Takenaga looked like he wanted to throttle Kyohei for saying such a thing but before he could, Michiru spoke up again. "Actually, when we were together, Oda-san would constantly tell me how much he loved me…"

The three boys' jaws dropped. "Impossible! Takenaga was never one to show his feelings to anybody. Not even Noi-chan!" they said in unison.

Michiru eyed Takenaga curiously. Did Oda-san change so much? She wondered. "Then it was all my fault…"

Before she could continue, Takenaga finally had the courage to speak up. "That's enough, Michiru. You don't have to tell them everything that happened."

"But, Oda-san…"

"Why do you have to stay here?" he asked her, ignoring the stares of his housemates.

"Your father wanted me to keep an eye on you. He wants to make sure you live up to your promise."

"I already told him I would not neglect my responsibility. But in return, he has to give me freedom till I reach twenty-one."

"Um…does that mean you're taking him away again?" a voice came out of nowhere.

Both Michiru and Takenaga turned to see who it was. Michiru spotted Sunako who looked at her hesitantly. "Of course not. That is why I was asked to stay here to keep an eye on the young master." She bowed to Sunako. "You must be the niece of Lady Nakahara…Sunako-san. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Even if she wanted me to leave there's no way she could make me do so." Takenaga retorted hotly.

Kyohei, Ranmaru and Yuki looked at one another mischievously. "Sunako-chan could learn a thing or two in manners from Michiru!" Kyohei blurted out.

"Yeah. Maybe if Michiru stays with us, she can help Sunako turn into a lady!" Yuki said excitedly.

"Another beautiful lady in the house! Oh, living in this mansion has become much more inviting." Ranmaru grinned wickedly.

Takenaga groaned. This was not going to be good.

---

Kyohei glanced at Takenaga who remained in the living room while the rest showed Michiru to the guest room. "Oi! You aren't coming?" he asked Takenaga.

Takenaga shook his head. "She can take care of herself."

"Hey you've been weird lately. Weirder now when Michiru showed up. Is she really your fiancée? That would mean Noi didn't have a chance with you in the beginning."

"Was my fiancée. Michiru and I have long broken up the engagement."

"What happened? You've always been a silent type and never open up to us."

"So have you."

"Well, I never had an ex-fiancée. How old were you then? You must've been thirteen or something." Kyohei laughed.

"It was before I came to the Nakahara household. I just turned fifteen."

"But…didn't you meet Noi when you were fifteen?"

Takenaga looked at Kyohei in annoyance. "I said it was before I came to the Nakahara household. I _just turned_ fifteen," he sighed, shaking his head when Kyohei looked at him as though begging him to continue the story. "Fine I'll tell you everything. Michiru and I were childhood friends. Her family and mine were very close knit so it was decided that we would get married. I was not against it. Michiru used to be my best friend and we were always together. However…"

Kyohei looked at Takenaga excitedly. "You were too stiff and that was why she decided to break it off?"

"Do you want me to continue or not?" Takenaga asked, clearly pissed. When Kyohei nodded, he continued. "I found out that she was in love with someone else. So I broke it off without telling her the reason why and how I found out about her and my cousin…" Takenaga paled. Apparently, he didn't want to tell that much to Kyohei but he ended up telling Kyohei everything.

"You were probably too serious which is why she didn't love you the way you wanted her to." Kyohei observed.

Takenaga gave a quiet laugh. "On the contrary. I was head over heels in love with her and wasn't afraid of telling her how I felt. But, it didn't work out the way it should be and I moved on."

"You still seem so angry at her, though. If it were me, even if the girl I liked rejected me, I wouldn't even care."

"Well, you haven't experienced falling in love yet so I don't think your advice counts."

"So that's probably why you're all pissed at her."

"Well, I admit I have been harsh today. It's just that, I never thought I'd see her again after so long. And she's staying here so it will be kind of awkward to see her."

"Well, Ranmaru could take her off your hands." Kyohei laughed.

Takenaga's eyes blazed. "He wouldn't dare. Michiru and I may not be in good terms, but she was my first love."

---

Sunako was left behind when Michiru was brought to the guest room where she would be staying. "We will share the same bathroom which is on the first floor. We have breakfast at six, lunch at twelve except if we're in school, and dinner at seven. I also do the laundry during weekends but please don't leave your clothes on the floor." Sunako paused for a bit, hoping she hadn't forgotten anything.

Michiru smiled. "You are very efficient, just like what your aunt Lady Nakahara told me. Don't worry about me, Sunako-san. I am here to help you out. I am not as incompetent as I might seem."

"Oh, I didn't think you were incompetent. It's just that I always do these things for the radiant creatures so adding one more person won't be a problem." Sunako sighed happily to herself. _Besides, if you're here, they'll bug you instead of me. Ah…I'll finally be left alone._

"Um…Sunako-san…there is something I want to ask you about Oda-san." Michiru looked at Sunako hesitantly.

"You shouldn't be asking me about one of the radiant creatures. I don't really care much about what they do." Sunako replied immediately.

"Well…it would really be awkward if I ask one of Oda-san's guy housemates. I just wanted to know who Noi is."

Sunako's eyes widened. "Oh…she was his girlfriend…" she paused suddenly, realizing that Michiru had referred to herself as Takenaga's ex-fiancée. "Er…she had to move so they broke up." she added quickly.

Michiru gave a quiet laugh. "If you're wondering if I'll be hurt because Takenaga found someone else, you are quite mistaken. As a matter of fact, I am happy that he has found love again. It was after all my fault that our engagement didn't push through. Initially, Oda-san's father asked me to keep an eye on Takenaga by staying here but I wanted to do something else." She turned away, not wanting to let Sunako see her face. "I want my Take-kun to fall in love again."

---

Takenaga watched Sunako leave Michiru's room from a distance. When Sunako was close to where he was standing, he grabbed her arm. Sunako instinctively jabbed him with her elbow. When she found out that it was Takenaga who grabbed her, she paled. "Sorry, bad habit." she muttered. She offered a hand to Takenaga who had dropped to his knees when she hit him.

He took her offered hand and used it to stand up. Unfortunately, he was too heavy for her to lift so she ended up toppling over him. Her face hit his and she winced at the impact. Takenaga lay frozen as he realized that Sunako's face was too close for comfort. She realized that too since she moved to try and stand up. Takenaga grabbed her wrist. "Wait. Er…I need a favor from you."

"No way!" she cried out.

"I just want you to keep Ranmaru from sinking his claws on Michiru. I need you to make sure Michiru doesn't get close to him. Ranmaru's my friend but I don't trust him when it comes to women."

Sunako's eyes looked at him curiously.

Takenaga stared back, wondering if Sunako would fulfill his request. "I'll, er…give you one of my family's prized samurai swords if you do…"

That got Sunako's attention and made her eyes light up excitedly. "Okay!" She didn't seem to notice that she was still on top of Takenaga.

He, however, was still aware of that. Sunako's reaction was really cute when he told her about the samurai sword that he couldn't help but blush. When he realized how hot his ears felt, he pushed her away. "S…sorry…"

His actions didn't seem to bother her in the least. He could tell that she was still daydreaming about the samurai sword. When she walked happily away, he couldn't help but cover his red face. Did she notice when he turned red, he hoped she didn't because he was quite surprised at his reaction as well.

- END OF CHAPTER THREE -


	4. Chapter 4: Picking up the Pieces

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

Author's Note:

Ok this is one of the hardest fanfics ever! It's hard to keep these two in character so please bear with me :D Thanks for all the support! Didn't know there were other Takenaga-Sunako fans out there too!

**CHAPTER 4: PICKING UP THE PIECES**

"So are you finally going to attend school tomorrow, Takenaga?" Yuki asked over the dinner table. Sunako had insisted that they all have dinner together, especially now that they had a new housemate.

Takenaga stole a glance from Michiru wanting to see her reaction to what Yuki said. Michiru seemed surprised that Takenaga hadn't been attending classes. "Is something wrong, Oda-san? Why have you not been attending classes?" she asked curiously.

Kyohei laughed over a mouthful of shrimps. "That's because he was so broken up since Noi left."

Takenaga shot him a warning look. "What I do is none of your business, Michiru."

Ranmaru sighed. "Why be so harsh to our guest, Takenaga?" His eyes brightened as he turned his attention to Michiru. "Michiru-chan! Forget that idiot. I'll be happy to attend to you…" Ranmaru yelped, his words were stopped by Sunako who "accidentally" dropped her bowl of soup on his lap.

"Ooops…my hand slipped." Sunako replied.

Takenaga watched her in amusement. He didn't think Sunako would go as far as spilling soup over Ranmaru to stop him from starting a conversation with Michiru.

Yuki, however, took the opening Ranmaru left behind to talk to Michiru. "Where will you be studying, Michiru-chan? Will you be transferring to our school, too?"

Michiru shook her head and smiled sweetly. "Oh I am a student of Todai."

Kyohei, Yuki and Ranmaru's jaws dropped at her response. "T…todai? But aren't you our age? How can you already be in college? And Todai! You must be really smart!"

Michiru blushed. "Well, I'm only sixteen but I skipped a few levels. I'm actually just a freshman in Todai."

"She's even smarter than Takenaga!" Yuki exclaimed.

"You're stupid to let a girl like that go, Takenaga." Ranmaru teased.

Kyohei eyed Takenaga silently. He didn't want to join in the teasing since Takenaga already told him about his past with Michiru. He was, however, also surprised at how smart Michiru was. Because of that, he couldn't resist to tease Sunako. "I bet she's better than you in Math."

"Ooops." Sunako "accidentally" dropped her glass of water on Kyohei's lap.

Kyohei gave a loud yelp as he felt the cold water splash on his lap. "You did that on purpose!" he accused.

A curve formed on the side of Sunako's lip. "My hand slipped."

When the two started arguing, Ranmaru and Yuki turned their attention to him. Michiru then used this chance to talk to Takenaga. "If your father hears about this…I might as well accompany you to school to make sure you go…"

Suddenly, Takenaga stood up. "Sunako-chan, I want you to come with me." He pushed his plate away and walked to Sunako's side. He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of her chair.

"Hey!" Sunako was surprised at his sudden action that she wobbled.

The other three housemates turned to them. "You can't mean to trade Noi for Sunako-chan?" Kyohei laughed.

Takenaga still didn't reply but tugged on Sunako. He bent close to her ear and whispered something in it, which made Sunako nod her head.

"Oooooh… looks like Takenaga's gotten over his broken heart." Ranmaru teased.

"Yeah, right." Kyohei snorted. He knew the only reason why Takenaga dragged Sunako was because of Michiru. At least, that was what he hoped it would be.

"Jealous, Kyohei? You can always try to get Sunako-chan back!" the two teased him.

Michiru looked at the two then at Kyohei. "Are Oda-san and Sunako-san dating? I thought he was dating this Noi girl."

Kyohei shrugged. "Whatever. That's his business, not mine."

Sunako tried to think of the reason why she allowed herself to get dragged by Takenaga to school. She hated walking beside the creatures of the light. It always led to trouble and she was always caught in the middle of it. One of them – Kyohei – even used her to keep their stalker fan girls away by claiming she was his girlfriend. The result was a mob of angry girls ganging up on her. But when Takenaga had whispered he needed her help, she couldn't resist. He was after all Noi's boyfriend and Noi was her friend so it was like doing Noi a favor at the same time. And besides, everyone in school knew Takenaga only had his heart set on Noi. Not like she cared or anything. All she wanted was to get to school with less attention possible. If only he would release his hold on her arm. If he only knew, she was at the brink of getting a massive nosebleed.

When they reached the school courtyard, Takenaga dropped his hold on her arm. He gazed at the school grounds sadly. Normally during that particular time, Noi would be there to greet him and they would walk to the classroom together but now all that was left was nothing.

Sunako watched him curiously and was about to nudge him until she decided to just quietly walk away. He probably needed time alone anyway. She had just moved a few steps away when a mob of girls ran towards Takenaga screaming excitedly.

"It's true! He's come back!" one of the girls in the crowd shrieked excitedly.

"We're sorry to hear about Noi, Takenaga-kun, but we're so happy you finally came back!"

"Takenaga-kun! Let me be the one to nurse your broken heart!"

Takenaga smiled helplessly to the girls who surrounded him. His eyes scanned around for Sunako who was trying to creep away unnoticed. "Sorry but I'm with someone."

The girls stopped fawning him and shrieked in horror. "What? Who is she?"

"Er…" Takenaga reached out to grip Sunako by the collar. "Sunako-chan! There you are!" When he finally reached her, he held her close to him. '_Sorry, Sunako. I had to do this.'_ He was about to whisper these words in Sunako's ear only to find that she had already fainted in his arms.

END CHAPTER 4

- END OF CHAPTER FOUR -


	5. Chapter 5: The Beginning

DISCLAIMER:

I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

Author's Note:

It's been a loooooooooooooong time hasn't it? For those who continue to support my work, many thanks! (Ranmaru and Kyohei versions will be posted too ^_^ )

**CHAPTER 5: THE BEGINNING**

When Sunako finally regained consciousness, she found herself in a dark laboratory. '_Recharged!_' she thought with a smile. Now the only thing that puzzled her was how she got there. She sighed and leaned against the wall. Who cared? The laboratory was her favorite place in the world, especially with the lights off. Suddenly, she heard the door open and an unknown figure come close to her.

"Get out, stupid…" she braced herself. Only the most radiant creature – Kyohei – dared to invade her sanctuary. Her voice faded when she realized it wasn't him but was one of the other radiant beings – a less brighter one – and the only one she could 'almost' tolerate.

Takenaga smiled as he found Sunako already unconscious. Awhile ago, he had panicked when she fainted and was ready to rush her to the clinic. Good thing Kyohei was there and he told Takenaga that the best remedy for Sunako's unconscious state was to leave her at the abandoned school laboratory. "Sorry about earlier. I didn't want to answer any questions from those girls."

Sunako's eyes brightened. "Is that why you entered this beautiful sanctuary? You're welcome to share it with me….er…just as long as you keep your distance."

He chuckled. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm okay. I wouldn't want to hog your personal space. And besides…Kyohei likes it here, too. He was the one who told me to revive you in here."

She cringed. "Is that stupid creature coming in here again? He is such a pest."

Takenaga shook his head. "Well, he decided to pass for now since you'd just fainted. Faint again and you might as well not have come to school at all."

"You came to tell me to attend class?"

"Well, actually I need a favor from you," Takenaga paused. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake but it was either this or have all those girls chase after him now that Noi was gone. Unlike Kyohei who was used to it, he wasn't. He'd always been polite when any girl approached him, and only when he was with Noi that all the girls left him alone. Noi's property. That was who he was. And now that he wasn't, somehow he felt all alone. "Although I'm not forcing you to do so."

Sunako eyed him curiously. He wasn't going to trick her as he always did, was he? He still owed her a samurai sword. She wondered when she would finally be able to hold it in her hands…she grinned…and probably use it against the stupid radiant creature Kyohei.

"I'd like you to pretend to be my girlfriend."

Samurai sword…samurai sword…EH? Sunako's eyes widened. She got overly excited in thinking about the sword he owed her that she wasn't sure she heard him correctly. She didn't just hear him say that he wanted her to pretend to be his girlfriend, did she? "No freaking way! Not even for a samurai sword!" she shrieked.

"Noi's not around anymore and now all those girls won't leave me alone…"

"No freaking way!"

"It's just pretend. We don't even have to look like we're a couple, just…" he grabbed her hand. "I don't want to walk alone. Those girls will try to surround me again, and I won't be able to handle it with you around. I'm not as rough as Kyohei, nor am I a flirt like Ranmaru. And Yuki…well, the girls think he's a harmless little boy and won't do anything to hurt him."

Sunako couldn't help but laugh. "And you're the only who who can never say 'no' to them. You're the polite one."

He grinned. "I guess so."

She shook her head. "No freaking way am I helping you. You still owe me a samurai sword. Go ask Michiru to help you."

"Anyone but her. The minute she sees me with all those girls she'll think I'm a playboy and tell father all about it."

"I'm not helping you."

He smiled. "Well, it would be unfair to you anyway. It was foolish of me to push you to agree. I'm sorry, Sunako-chan." He gave her a small bow and headed for the door. "You'd better get going. Your teacher might be looking for you already."

* * *

Michiru sighed, unable to concentrate on what her professor was discussing. A while earlier, she had followed Takenaga and his housemates on the way to school just to make sure her master's son had finally gone to school after shutting himself from the world. What she observed was not a pretty sight. Already Oda-san had girls fawning over him. What in the world would her master say when he found out that Takenaga was a flirt? She had seen him grab Lady Nakahara's niece and use her as a shield against the mob of women. So Oda-san was not only a flirt but abuser of women? What in the world happened to her dear Take-kun? She knew she had to report everything to her master, but she would wait, just yet. Although she was not there when Oda-san had returned to the Main House, she had heard from one of the maids that he was happy with his new family. She'd also heard of how Sunako-san had stood up against her master and requested that Oda-san be returned to the Nakahara household. Did Oda-san consider them family? She would have to interview the housemates one-by-one, lest she make any mistake. Of course she, too, wished for Oda-san to find happiness, but the question that she could not find the answer to was the identity of the girl who broke Oda-san's heart. Who was that Noi-chan and how could she have changed her dear Oda-san's entire personality?

There was much she had to find out about the Nakahara household…and she did not like what she was saw at all…

* * *

How dare that creature of the light want her to pretend to be his girlfriend? Couldn't he handle his problems himself?

She already had enough problems of her own…Math, Josephine and the Baron's (her skeleton dolls) wedding, cleaning after the radiant creature's mess (especially Kyohei's) and all other household chores that could not be handled by the radiant ones. Add to that their new house guest. Sunako paused and wondered why Takenaga held Michiru in such contempt. Michiru was a member of their clan wasn't she? Then it would be easier for her to take care of Takenaga. Besides, she'd already been used by Kyohei as a pretend girlfriend (without her consent) before. The result was a massive bullying (although it was something she could handle perfectly well as in the end she ended up the victor). Suddenly, she remembered what Noi had told Sunako before she left.

"_Take care of Takenaga-kun for me, Sunako-chan. You're the only one I trust," Noi told her. "Don't let those girls lay a finger on him."_

She sighed. Sorry. She wouldn't be fulfilling that promise. He could take care of himself. She finally left the laboratory to attend her remaining classes. On the way there, she overheard some girls talking along the corridor.

"Did you hear that Takenaga-kun is single?"

"Poor Takenaga-kun. For Noi to leave him like that."

"Which means he's definitely single! He's the only one among the four who talks to us."

"Now's our chance!"

Sunako cringed. Why did such girls desire such stupid radiant creatures? If they lived with those four, they'd realize that it was better off lavishing in the darkness. She stopped dead on her tracks as she spotted Takenaga surrounded by his 'fan girls'.

"Takenaga-kun, you're now the hottest boy in the school!"

"Please go out with me!"

Sunako saw Takenaga's face turn pale as he offered forced smiles to those around him. "I'm afraid my heart isn't ready yet. I'm sorry. Please let me enter my classroom."

"We won't leave you like Noi did, Takenaga-kun…"

Takenaga's face fell as Noi's name was mentioned. "I…"

"EVERYONE BACK OFF. GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Takenaga's eyes widened in surprise as the voice echoed along the corridor. Could it be…?

The girls fawning over him backed away instantly as a small figure forced its way towards Takenaga. Soon, he found himself facing the back of a very angry Sunako whose arms were stretched to her sides as though to shield him from his 'fans'.

"No fair, Sunako! You already have Kyohei, do you want to take our Takenaga, too?" the fans shrieked, their eyes filled with hatred.

Sunako held her ground, sweat forming on her forehead. What the hell was she doing? Then she remembered Noi's words to her once again. "I told everyone to back off!" she warned them as the girls walked closer. Suddenly, she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"That's enough, Sunako. You don't have to…"

"Keep away from him…my…boy…friend…" Although the last words were barely a whisper, it still felt as though Sunako had screamed it out for all to hear. She hung her head low, unable to face the girls.

The fan girls stopped moving. "Tha…that's not true is it, Takenaga-kun? You couldn't possibly replace Noi with _her,_ could you? She couldn't be your girlfriend, could she?"

Takenaga smiled sexily and instinctively hugged Sunako from behind. "Yes she is." He planted a kiss on the side of Sunako's forehead. "So I would advise you all to please leave us alone."

The fan girls' faces dropped as they saw Takenaga's arms wrap around Sunako. No sooner had they left the area, Takenaga moved away from Sunako to face her. "Thank you."

She didn't move, as though she were rooted to the spot. Then a geyser of blood poured out her nose and she fainted.

Takenaga sighed. "I wonder how Kyohei manages to deal with this…" He gathered the unconscious Sunako in his arms and went straight back to the dark laboratory. Looks like he missed his 'first day' of school again.

(END CHAPTER 5)


	6. Chapter 6: His Other Girlfriend

**DISCLAIMER:**

I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

**Author's Note:**

It's been quite a while since I last updated. I thank you for all the reviews! Now let me return the favors by updating this fanfic at last. Am also fixing the layout (realized the previous ones were really sucky)

**Chapter 6: His Other Girlfriend**

This was the part that Takenaga dreaded the most.

Not the fact that his 'fans' were shocked with his revelation.

Not even the fact that he made Sunako agree to be his 'girlfriend'.

But the fact that his housemates would want to know what happened.

Which is exactly what happened next…

"Is it true?" Yuki exclaimed when they were all on their way back.

"So you finally decided to heal your heart!" Ranmaru grinned. "Though I must admit it is pretty interesting the way you stole Kyohei's girlfriend!"

Takenaga groaned. "It's not like that. I just wanted to be left alone."

"Yeah and you do that by stealing my girl…I mean my pretend girlfriend." Kyohei muttered.

Ranmaru and Yuki looked at Kyohei mischievously. "Your girl! Ooooh! Finally admitted that you love her? Now it's too late!" they chorused.

"You were too confident into thinking that Sunako was all yours. Well, Takenaga beat you to it!" Ranmaru teased.

"Stupid! I only used her to keep those idiot girls away!" Kyohei replied defensively. "Takenaga took my reason away. Now I'll be the one being chased!"

"Speaking of Sunako-chan…where is she?" Yuki asked.

Takenaga scratched his head. "I don't know. I left her at the place Kyohei told me to. I figured she wouldn't want to see me after what I did…"

Kyohei suddenly stopped walking. "You did what?"

"I left her at the abandoned laboratory," Takenaga replied. "Why? Shouldn't I have?"

Kyohei shrugged. "It doesn't feel right. You mentioned that you told your 'fans' that she was your girlfriend right?"

"Yeah. Why? They wouldn't hurt her would they? They never hurt Noi when we were together."

"That was Noi, not Sunako." Kyohei turned around. "I'm heading back to school."

"Did you forget something?" Yuki asked.

Ranmaru grinned. "Silly, Yuki. Our dear Kyohei is worried something might happen to his _girl_ Sunako-chan. That's the reason why he wants to go back." Yuki and Ranmaru watched Kyohei walk away with their eyes glistening in anticipation. Suddenly, a voice put a halt to Kyohei.

"Stop, Kyohei."

All three turned to Takenaga and looked at him in wonder. Kyohei looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face. "Why?"

"I have to be the one to go back and see her."

Yuki and Ranmaru looked at the other two excitedly. "Oooh this is getting better every minute!"

"Why must you be the one to do so?"

Takenaga looked away. "I was the one who got her in that mess in the first place. I don't want to be the one to get her into any trouble."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in school, Sunako had finally woken up from her 'faint'. "Great, I missed math class again." She dusted her uniform and stood up. How did she end up in the abandoned laboratory again? It must have been the smart radiant creature who brought her there, she thought. She sighed and headed for the door. What mess had she gotten into now? She couldn't believe she agreed to pretend to be his girlfriend. What the hell was she thinking? She already had the most radiant's fangirls mad at her, did she had to add the smart one's lot mad at her as well? She checked her watch and realized that classes were already over. "I have to make dinner!" she exclaimed. She immediately rushed towards the school gate. But before she got there, she noticed a group of girls all lined up blocking the gate.

"Nakahara!" one of the girls pointed an accusing finger at her. "How dare you take Takenaga-kun away from us!"

"You have no right to replace Noi-chan!"

"You are too ugly to be his girlfriend!"

"You playgirl! You took Kyohei-kun from his girls, and now you try to take our beloved Takenaga-kun as well?"

Sunako sighed deeply. She knew this would happen. And she was tired of it. "I have to go home." She tried squeezing her way out of the throng of girls but they were too many and eventually she found herself surrounded.

Some of the girls pushed her around till finally someone shoved her on the ground. "Ugly girl!"

Her eyes blazed. These girls were an awful lot. Not only did they hate her for 'replacing' Noi, they hated her for taking the smart one's 'heart' as well. "I have to go home." Sunako repeated.

"You're not going anywhere!" One of the girls suddenly slapped Sunako hard on the face.

"Stop it!" a voice from out of nowhere shouted.

Sunako suddenly found herself free from her captors who had all immediately backed away. Was it the radiant creature again? She braced herself for a massive nosebleed, but was surprised to see that it wasn't that creature who appeared, but the smart one…

"Takenaga-kun!" the fangirls chorused.

Takenaga knelt towards Sunako whose face was covered with dirt. "Are you ok?" He looked at her face and noticed a cut on her cheek.

Kyohei was right about the fangirls, Takenaga realized.

"So it is true!" a fangirl shrieked.

"He's replaced Noi with Nakahara!"

"Has he lost his mind?"

"Need help standing up?" he asked Sunako, offering his hand.

She brushed it away. "I'm fine. Leave me alone."

"This was all my fault." He gently tugged on her hand and helped her up despite her protest. "Let's go home."

* * *

When Michiru arrived at the Nakahara household, she was surprised to see that only two of the four boys were home. "Where are the others?"

"Why look for them when we have each other?" Ranmaru winked at her.

"Well, Takenaga went back to get Sunako. And Kyohei…well, he decided to wait outside for them." Yuki grinned. "I guess he's jealous because Takenaga took Sunako away."

Michiru looked at them with a puzzled expression on her face. "I thought he was in love with this Noi person."

"I guess he still is. He just made Sunako-chan pretend to be his girlfriend so that he wouldn't be bothered by his many admirers. He hates turning people away and I guess that was the only way he could do so without making it appear that he did."

"Forget about them and tell us what kind of man you are interested in, Michiru-chan!" Ranmaru walked closer to her. "I am certainly available." He gave her a sly wink.

"I am not interested in a person who is too full of himself."

"A woman version of Takenaga. Interesting."

She turned to Yuki, ignoring Ranmaru's attempts to flirt with her. "Tell me about this ex-girlfriend of his. Was he really that cold to her that she moved away?"

Yuki rubbed his chin. "Takenaga has always been a quiet person. I'm sure he loved Noi-chan very much or he wouldn't have broken down the way he did. You mentioned that he wasn't like that in the past, and er…that you were the reason why." Yuki blushed, not sure if he should continue.

"Did you want to ask the reason why I am no longer his fiancée?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I want to know!" Ranmaru butt in excitedly. "I want to know how you broke Takenaga's heart."

"I fell in love with someone else."

"Who?" they both chorused.

"His cousin."

The two boys' eyes widened. "Poor Takenaga…so now you're his cousin's fiancée?"

Michiru shook her head. "No. I never said I was."

"Is this why you came to live with us? To win Takenaga back because you realized that you are still in love with him?" Ranmaru sighed dramatically.

"No."

"Then why did you come live with us?" Yuki asked curiously.

"You both have too many questions. I would prefer to keep my business to myself." She bowed and turned away. "I shall leave you two now. Please let me know once Oda-san arrives."

* * *

Kyohei was outside waiting for the Takenaga and Sunako to arrive. When they did his eyes immediately darted towards the filthy-looking Sunako. "What happened?" he asked both of them. Sunako ignored him as usual. He eyed Takenaga curiously. "I was right, wasn't I?"

Takenaga nodded. "I was too late to stop them from picking on her."

"You should quit this act. It'll make things worse for Sunako if you continue."

"Kyohei, what does she like?" Takenaga asked, completely ignoring what Kyohei just told him. "I just want to make up for what happened."

"What are you talking about? Isn't it obvious what she likes?"

"Well, er…other than skulls and slasher films…"

Kyohei groaned. "Stop using her."

Takenaga looked away. "Are you upset that I am?" Maybe Kyohei's denial was a lie after all. He never saw Kyohei that upset with him before. And he, Ranmaru and Yuki had always teased Kyohei to Sunako but somehow Kyohei acted strange when Kyohei found out what he did.

"Whatever. I'm hungry." He turned away from Takenaga and walked away. But before doing so, he said, "Chocolates. Buy her a bunch to make her feel better."

- END OF CHAPTER 6 -


	7. Chapter 7: The First Step to Letting Go

**DISCLAIMER:**

I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

**Author's Note:**

Hiatus finally over!

Thank you for all your reviews.

Hopefully you'll get regular story updates.

Please check out my other fanfics too

**CHAPTER 7 : The First Step to Letting Go**

Following Kyohei's advice, Takenga bought as many chocolate bars as he could to make up for the incident with his 'fan girls'. He was surprised at how Kyohei knew Sunako. But then again, he shouldn't have been considering the fact that he had always teased them at how 'close' the two were and how they acted towards one another. And yet here he was doing what Kyohei had done to Sunako – making her his 'girlfriend' – which he never thought he would be doing.

He tapped on her door, hoping she wouldn't answer (which she normally did when someone tried to enter her room) so that he didn't have to explain himself. After a few light taps, he put the chocolate bars by her door. He never knew that he'd be getting her into trouble by his actions a while back. He thought his 'fans' weren't as vicious as Kyohei's, since they usually backed away when he was with Noi. But as Kyohei put it, the situation was different.

He was about to turn away when he heard someone call him. "Do you still plan on using her?"

'_As expected_.' Takenaga thought to himself. "I'm not using her."

"But you're planning to." Kyohei muttered.

"Well she agreed to it."

"You probably promised her something in return." Kyohei bent down and picked up the gift Takenaga left for Sunako by her door. He rapped on Sunako's door. "Open up. Takenaga has chocolate."

The door instantly opened much to Takenaga's surprise. He saw Sunako's face peep from the door. "CHOCOLATE!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah. Takenaga left this for you."

Sunako looked at Takenaga curiously. "Thanks!" She grabbed the bag from Kyohei and slammed the door.

"If I were you, I'd face my problems. Using her won't solve your problems about Noi."

Takenaga was unable to answer. "Just allow me for now, Kyohei. I promise I won't let anything happen to her."

Kyohei shrugged. "If anything happens…" He didn't finish his sentence but turned around and left.

"Kyohei…how much does Sunako really mean to you…?" Takenaga wondered. With the way he was acting, Takenaga felt that Kyohei really did have feelings for Sunako. He turned to Sunako's door and stroked it with his hand. "Don't worry, Kyohei. I won't let anything happen to her."

-

The next morning, Sunako was greeted by Takenaga who had barged into the kitchen while she was preparing breakfast. "Wait in the dining room. Breakfast isn't ready."

"Uh, Sunako-chan…I'm sorry about what happened yesterday."

"Don't worry about it. I've handled much worse." When Sunako turned to leave him, he noticed the cut on her cheek. Instinctively, he moved his hand to her face.

"This is wrong."

She paled when he touched her. '_Too bright'_ she thought. She would have pushed him, but that meant dropping the tray she was carrying.

"Will you still pretend for me?"

She didn't answer right away. "I guess. But I don't want you anywhere near me."

He smiled. "Well, that won't help me if you don't act like my girlfriend."

"Oh." She sighed. "I don't know how to act like one. And besides, I'll melt when I'm around radiant creatures." Suddenly, Sunako felt him move towards her back and slip a pair of sunglasses on her. She felt the radiant creature turn her around to face him. She was ready to break into a nosebleed, but surprisingly, she didn't.

"Extra dark lenses. I didn't know why we never thought of this before. You've always said that you get blinded by us."

He was right. The glasses were dark enough to make him look a tad blurry. She turned around to serve breakfast when suddenly she hit something. "Ouch." Apparently, the glasses not only blurred radiant creatures, but her whole surroundings as well. She felt the creature take her arm and guide her to the door.

"This way you won't be bothered when I'm around." He guided her to the dining room and took the tray from her.

"Whoa!" The three other housemates were surprised to see Takenaga with Sunako.

"Kyohei, Takenaga stole your girlfriend!" Yuki teased.

"Oh, dear Kyohei! Fight for her!" Ranmaru cried out. And to Takenaga, he pointed an accusing finger. "A love rivalry! How could you do this to Kyohei?" he teased.

"Stupid." Kyohei muttered. "Hey, why are you wearing sunglasses in the house?" he asked Sunako.

Sunako turned her attention to the voice that sounded that it belonged to the most radiant one. She smiled happily. Even he was a blur to her. She walked to an empty chair, bumping everything in her path. This new thing needed some getting used to. "It's perfect!"

Takenaga couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Sunako looked really cute with the glasses on. He turned around to surprised not to see Michiru around.

Ranmaru caught him in the act. "Playboy. Michiru left a while ago. Said she had something to do."

That did not sit well with Takenaga. He knew she might be reporting to his father. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Michiru while she was staying. There was much he had to ask. One of them being how long she planned on spying on him.

'_Was this what Noi usually did?_' Sunako thought to herself. Takenaga had insisted on walking with her. He was probably making sure the fangirls left her alone. Would that mean she'd get free chocolate if they did? "Chocolate…"

"Oh, did you want some?" he asked her.

She blushed. She hadn't meant to think out loud. She was glad she was wearing the special lenses. That meant she could actually tolerate being with him. That and the fact that she couldn't see how he reacted towards what she said.

"We could buy some on our way home."

She felt her mouth water. Pretending to be his girlfriend wasn't so bad after all. That was until they reached the school.

It was a good thing she couldn't see much of her surroundings, however that didn't block all the voices she was hearing.

"Lucky girl! How did she manage to convince Takenaga-kun to make her his girlfriend."

"Playgirl! How could she play around with Kyohei and Takenaga?"

"She probably put an evil spell on them. Or is blackmailing them…"

"Don't mind them, Sunako-chan," she heard Takenaga whisper. "I won't let them pick on you again."

When they reached her classroom, he took the glasses off and handed them to her. "I'll pick you up here after class." He smiled. "Make sure to wear them when I arrive."

After class, Sunako wondered whether she should wait for the smart radiant creature to pick her up. Did he do the same for Noi? He probably did since they were always seen together. She looked at the altered glasses he had given her. They really did help her 'cope' with the radiance. She wore them and tried feeling her way across the corridor. She had taken but a few steps from the door when someone grabbed her arm. She felt the figure guide her past the other classrooms, wondering where he was taking her. When they finally stopped, he pushed her inside a darker room – the abandoned lab she guessed.

She took off her glasses and immediately fell back – blinded by a surprisingly radiant light.

Apparently it wasn't the smart radiant creature.

It was Kyohei.

"You should stop pretending to be his girlfriend. You'll only get into trouble."

"I can take care of myself."

"Well you should because he can't do that."

"It's none of your business."

"What did he promise to give you?"

"Nothing..."

"I don't believe you."

The radiant creature was getting on her nerves. Why the hell did he care? He was doing the same thing to her before. Then she suddenly realized that the smart one would be picking her up. "I have to go." She moved to the door but he caught her arm.

"Where are you going? To save him again?"

She shrugged her arm away. "I made a promise." Without another word, she left the laboratory and ran back to the classroom.

When Takenaga arrived at Sunako's classroom, he was surprised not to find her waiting. He sighed. He guessed Sunako really didn't want to help him after all. But then again, his pushing her to do what he wanted which was unfair. No sooner had he decided to just face his problems when he heard a bumping sound from the distance. He turned around and saw Sunako wearing the glasses, trying to feel her way through the crowd. Instinctively, he ran towards her just as she was about to bump into someone again.

"Sorry I'm late." Sunako mumbled under her breath.

He smiled and held her to him. "No, you were just in time."

**END CHAPTER SEVEN**


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